https://www.awbs.com.au/blogs/news.atomThe Australian Wine and Beer School - News2018-08-28T15:16:00+10:00The Australian Wine and Beer Schoolhttps://www.awbs.com.au/blogs/news/argentina-malbec-some-other-stuff-mostly-about-malbec-12018-08-28T15:16:00+10:002018-08-28T15:16:42+10:00Argentina - Malbec + some other stuff, mostly about MalbecBen Hughes
THE SWIG MALBEC

There are Maladjusted malcontents, malignant malingerers and maloderous maladies like malaria. You can maltreat, malign, maladminister and malproportion or be in a malaise but of all the ‘Mals’ I’ve met and the one I like the most is ‘MALBEC’

Now, I have a long history with Argentina, as I once thought of going there, and so I read an entire brochure about the place and I even went to an Argentinian restaurant. I mention this, as Argentina, it seems, is very closely associated with the Malbec grape, but alas ‘Don’t cry for me Argentina, for Malbec is actually French or so I’ve been told. Rumours abound that it’s one of the six grapes that are allowed to go into a Bordeaux, and by ‘rumour’ I mean ‘fact’

From what I gather Malbec is the name of some Hungarian peasant who, for reasons only he knew, apparently randomly decided to bring the grape to France and deposit it here and there like some viniferous litterbug. This, of course was in the days when people considered falling off the edge of the world as a legitimate insurance claim so take it as you will.

It has been described as a thin-skinned grape, I would say ‘sensitive’ but hey, we all have our burdens. It also comes with the accusation of being susceptible to any illness that sticks it’s head into the vineyard so to alleviate this it prefers warm sunny climate and long walks along the beach, but then don’t we all. So it seems the variety has found a suitable home in the higher altitude and agreeable weather of hot days and cold nights of the Mendoza area in Argentina. We here in Oz, also grow a bit, look to wines from Langhorne Creek, Clare and Margaret River.

The grape in the New World makes an inky, deep purple wine with plum, brambley rich fruit, anise, peppery and tobacco character with lower acidity while the Old World French style more commonly used in blends and is a lot more subtle and with higher acidity. In Australia you’ll find wines that give you red plum, cocoa, tobacco and vanilla.

Well I’m off to chuck some snags on me Barbie and enjoy a Malbec while I take in the stunning views that Argentina offers, in their brochure.

Feelin’ in a mood to rejoice, for I was young(ish) and free and havin’ decided on a plate of good Aussie Kangaroo girt by sauce, I cast an inquisitive glance to the wine list. Lookin’ down the reds I chanced upon a name that made me laugh and yell out to the bar attendant ‘You taking up making furniture then?’ I gestured to the wine list.

‘I knew that’ I said unconvincingly, and I fumbled in my pocket for my Smarter Than I Phone. Stumbling with the buttons and my XXL fingers until I finally found what I was looking for. Once I had achieved a new high score in Candy Crush, I proceeded to look up Cabernet. Turning around revealed O’Farrel, looking over my shoulder. I jumped a tad as I asked ‘How long have you been there?’

‘So, you don’t know what a Cabernet is?’ he quizzed, helping himself to a seat. ‘it’s originally a cross breed of the grapes Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in the 18th century’ My eyes began to glaze just so he moved on. ‘In Bordeaux it is blended with Merlot, Cabernet Franc and a couple of others It is a round berry with thick skin and is a hardy plant and relatively easy to grow. It has distinct characters of blackcurrant, capsicum, mint and eucalyptus’ at that last one I had an image of a very happy Koala pop into my mind.

He continued ‘The variety has a great balance between tannins and acidity and is versatile enough to make wines that will cellar for long periods of time and also to make wines to satisfy those who have more immediate needs.’ He took a sip of his wine, paused to reflect, then once he put his mirror down he proceeded. (Editors apology for terrible Dad joke)‘We grow it almost all of the regions here in Aus, but some really well known ones are of course, Coonawarra with its distinctive Terra Rossa, or red, soil which produces some of Australia’s most sort after wines. Then there’s Margaret River with its distinct maritime climate and the wines have that noticeable lively leafy-ness and deep black fruits’. ‘Sounds a bit perfect’ I said. ‘Well, they do say it suffers a bit from, what is known as, the doughnut and so it is common to see it blended with other varieties, even if it’s just a small amount’

‘Sounds like the worst food and wine match ever, Red wine and Doughnuts’ I felt and incredible wave of restraint emanate from him as he continued. ‘The doughnut is this phenomenon where, once the wine has been sipped into the mouth, all the flavours seem to congregate around the edge of the mouth and leaves a gap in the middle palate, so to remedy this another grape is added normally mouth filling Merlot , even in small doses to try and fill that hole.’

‘With your Kangaroo you could do a lot worse than a good Coonawarra Cab Sauv…Bon Appetit’

There was movement at the wine bar, for the word had passed around That Big RED from AWBS was on it’s way…

Sitting in me favourite wine bar one cold and stormy night, I was entertaining an exotic little Italian, she had a sparklin’ repartee and her name was Prosecco and she hailed from Veneto, but that’s a story for another time. I was eating something called Osso Bucco, I thought the barmaid said Aussie Bucko so I ordered it, but it turns out to be pretty good Italian grub.

Suddenly the front door of the bar flung open and the old coot staggered in, straightened up and announced

‘Big RED is comin’!’ This set off an excited murmur through the room like a flash fire. I leant over to the table next to me, a couple of blokes arguing whether non-alcoholic wine existed or not, and I asked them ‘Who’s this Big RED?’

‘Not, who,’ one answered ‘But, what’ and left it at that as they went back to their argument. So, driven by an insoluble desire to know, I went in search of answers.

I found O’Farrel sitting in the corner, so I approached him and asked the man who would know, who or what is ‘Big RED?’

He gestured for me to take a seat, but I said that I already had one and sat down instead.

O’Farrel leaned back and took a deep swig of his wine. ‘Big RED’ he said ‘Has been talked about for some time, always in whispers and rumours of a wine show featuring 60 full bodied red wines from around the world all in one tasting.’

‘Sixty?’ I expressed in awe, ‘surely such a number would be impossible’

‘It is impressive, and I know it sounds incredible, but I actually believe it’s not only possible, but exists, Big RED is coming’

My mind reeled with the enormity of the notion of a room full of 60 wines for me to selectively pick through and taste, to experience wines from foreign and exotic lands. ‘What do you know about it?’

‘Glad you asked’ he said leaning back, ready to begin the lesson.

‘They say it’ll be like a beacon of light on a cold, dark winters day, like the warmth of woollen gloves. There will be rare and hard to find wines to taste, wines that will have been aged in oak for years and I’ve even heard there will be…’he looked over his shoulder secretively and back to me ‘an Anti-pasto’ I blinked at him. ‘Do we not like pasto?’ was my timid response. He sighed ‘Artfully place cold cuts of meat and marinated vegetables on a beautiful platter, Antipasto!’ he informed me with slight tone I couldn’t quite place; but reminded me of my mother. He continued ‘Wines from France, Italy, Spain, New Zealand, Argentina, America and of course, Australia, then when you’ve tried all the wines you want, there’s a nice big steak to be had at the end of it all’

I was exited ‘Where on Earth do you have a choice of 60 nice big reds to taste and a steak as well;

I was sittin’ at a bar one fine evenin’ sippin’ on a schooner of fine old Aussie Shiraz, when I found cause to ask the bar tender if she ‘ad a pair of tweezers. ‘Tweezers?’ she repeated quizzically.

I explained that somehow I had a splinter in my tongue.

‘Ah!’ she says’ your wines been over Oaked’

‘Over oaked’ it was my turn to do the repeatin’

‘Oooh yeah, used to ‘appen quite a bit in the bad ‘ol days, but not so much any more’.

I pressed her for more information about oak, not physically of course, I’m not that sort o’ bloke, but with a few questions. Like, ‘Why Oak, don’t they take ages to grow?’ She said about a hundred years before they’re ready to harvest. ‘You must be about ready to be harvested as well then’ I said with a cheeky grin. The room fell silent and I could hear the sudden sounds of inward sucked air as every eye fell my way with a mix of shock and sympathy. Dear reader, my misplaced attempt at humour was not entirely incorrect as she did indeed look about a hundred.

, Want ta know about wine barrels Son?’ I turned to the speaker, who looked remarkable like a barrel but adorned with limbs and a head. He introduced himself as O’Farrel and there was nothin’ he couldn’t tell me about a barrel. So, there I sat as he immersed me in information about wine barrels.

I learned that wine barrels are only ever oak as this has proven to be the most compatible type of wood with wine. That the wood is seasoned in all types of weather for a couple of years before being used and then some bloke called Cooper makes the actual barrel. Next, he mentions American and French oak being the two preferred types, ‘What’s the difference’ I asked and he went on to tell how American Oaks commonly will have wider gaps between the grain in the wood where the French tend to a fine, closer grain. He likened the effect American Oak has on wine a bit to a party where a Hollywood Cowboy showed up, Brash and very obvious whereas French oak is more akin to one of those surrealist poets from the sixties, moodily sitting in the shadows and reluctantly giving away snippets of subtle wisdom. ‘So’ I announced ‘If you taste a wine and immediately taste the oak influence, it’s American and if you have to hunt around to find the characteristics, it’s French!’

‘What characteristics are those?’ asked a voice from the back of the room. ‘Hmmm, I…’ I lwas stuck for an answer and looked to my companion for help. He leaned over conspiratorially ‘Well, with the American it’s pretty obvious vanillary tones whereas the French have a bit more Tannin, other than that it’s a case of looking at your kitchen spice rack, cinnamon, nutmeg cloves yada yad yada’ ‘Don’t forget the age of the barrels!’ an eavesdropper nearby whispered. ‘Yup’ said O’Farrel ‘As the barrels age, their influence on the wine will lessen, American oak generally only a couple of years and French a few more than that, also the size of the barrel will have an impact, the bigger the barrel the less wine in contact with wood, the less influence in the wine’. I asked what was a common size of barrel. ‘Hogshead’ he said, ‘Sorry’ I replied sulkily ‘I only asked’.

So after a moments thought I felt I understood it all ‘So!’ I announced ‘All wines are either aged in American or French oak!’ ‘NOOOO!’ the entire room announced collectively at me. Startled I looked around at the bemused faces except the ancient bar tender who just rolled her eyes and wandered off shaking her head. O’Farrel waved me down with that classic gesture of placation, and I slowly sat back down. He looked at me patiently ‘Most white wines and some reds are aged in stainless steel tanks, while some wines are aged for a time in oak and then In stainless steel, it’s all part of the choices a winemaker has in making a fine wine’ Well, I sat back trying to absorb all the information and said

‘It’s enough to drive a man to drink’.

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https://www.awbs.com.au/blogs/news/the-swig-to-decant-or-not-decant-is-it-a-question2018-05-08T20:31:00+10:002018-05-08T20:31:13+10:00The Swig - To decant, or not decant. Is it a question?Ben Hughes

THE SWIG BLOG

In my younger days as a chef in a fancy pants restaurant, I remember decanting occurring when an expensive wine was ordered which afforded the lucky customer their own private performance.

The wine would be ceremonially delivered to the table, coated in a thin layer of cellar dust. The label would be presented to the customer and then the ceremony would commence. The chief Sommelier would enter, wafting in like a wizard of wine, adorned in white gloves, dinner suit and sporting the silver chalice denoting his wizardriness. The master deftly produced the ceremonial wine knife and removed the bottle’s capsule just below the lip, the room quietened as the cork was exposed and the wine wizard opened the cork screw and began the methodical twists. The cork which was then removed in a slow, single motion; the last few millimetres removed using thumb and forefinger to avoid the ‘pop’ sound which would denote an amateur. Next a restaurant slave would present a fine, crystalline decanter and a candle, then the master would begin.

With pursed lips, squinted eye and steady hand, he would begin to pour; all eyes watched in hushed awe as the wine elegantly streamed from bottle to decanter in an uninterrupted stream, culminating in a swirling rouge ballet, until finally, at precisely the right moment, he stopped pouring, replaced the near empty bottle and said the magic words ‘Bon Appetit’ then wafted away with self assured grace and dignity.

So, what was all that about? Theatrical wizardriness nonsense? Well it depends; many people believe that decanting should only be performed on older wines when in fact, decanting of an aged wine may well cause it to oxidise and kick the bucket before your very eyes. The other issue is that older wines that are moving beyond their first decade may well start to throw some sediment (want to know more about sediment? We will tell you all about in a future Swig Blog) However, modern wine making techniques this is no longer such a big a problem. This stuff (sediment) is a bit gross on the palate and so filtering it with a purpose built tool or an unbleached coffee filter may do the trick or grab a candle as a light source behind the bottle so you can see where the gunk is as you pour it into a decanter, carafe or favourite pyrex jug.

But since the majority of wines are consumed very soon after being brought home, or possibly even earlier than that, I am talking about decanting young wines; let me start with this little gem, aerating younger wines is equivalent to adding a pinch of salt to cooking, to enhance the flavours. (don’t add it to your wine) The test here is, if you pour a glass of wine and there doesn’t seem to be much smell/ aroma/nose/bouquet; Then you need to decant. It’s like opening a very small room that’s been shut up for quite a while. Simply pour the wine into an open necked vessel of choice and let it sit exposed to the air for a few hours. Alternatively, there are aerators that will speed up the process quite efficiently.

What we do at our bigger events.This is three bottles of one of our favourites, Isole e Olena Chianti Classico.

So, let me summarise all this for you. Just as in life, the younger ones need to be shaken up a bit and then ignored to get them to work, decant a young wine by tipping the bottle upside down and let the wine splash into the decanter; while the older wines need to be treated a bit gently so you don’t have to put up with their crap. Older wines are poured slowly into the decanter to ensure that the sediment is left in the bottle. To be honest virtually all red wines will benefit with decanting.

Let me introduce myself, I am the Swig. Brother of the more famous The Stig, you know the guy in the helmet on Top Gear. We travelled different roads; his of burnt rubber and aromas of hot oil and tarmac, mine one of wine stained teeth and aromas of blackberry and a life of wine and food matching. Welcome to my blog – The Swig Blog. This time…..BIG REDS.

They can be the best of wines, they can be the worst of wines; BIG REDS.

This style has been the key landmark on the Aussie winescape since, well forever, maybe not that long but quite a while! Dark, intense and so tannic that your eyes welled up and all four cheeks are sucked in with muscle spasms of delight, If you've ever had a particularly strong cup of tea then you'll know what tannin is, it is that furry feeling in your mouth combined with a chalky/dusty feeling, except in the case of wine it comes from the grape skin and seeds and not a perforated bag of English Breakfast; but I digress.

The Aussie Big Red starts with rich and intense fruit, the quality of which can only be achieved by treating the vines in such a way that, if they were kids, A Current Affair would be camped on your lawn and DOCS would be up rooting them. In the wine world, hard pruning and reduced irrigation encourages the vines to put a lot of energy into the fruit. They think they are going to die; so, all their energy goes into trying to reproduce, lots of grapes. This is very much the old adage of quality over quantity. Conversely, an overindulged vine that wants for nothing will produce nothing of any significance but in high quantities, think, The Kardashians.

Once ripe they will be harvested at night, sent to the winery where the magic happens. They are crushed, the pulp, called Must, will spend days soaking with the skins, being plunged, kind of like me on the right here, stomp, stomp, stomp, the colour and tannins are extracted into the juice in a ritual perfected by the ancients. Nowadays, wineries use paddles to mix up the juice and skins or pump wine over the top.

The juice is separated from the pulp, it may be blended; or not, and then put into one of the final pieces of the puzzle; oak barrels. These barrels will impart different characteristics depending on whether the oak comes from France or America, each, like a parent, will impart its own personality onto the wine which will set it on the road to grapeness, I good pun huh!. One last thing, but not at all least in this journey, is time; time for the wine to be allowed to mature, to meditate and to discover itself. Ohmmmm!

Here stands the Big Red, ready to face the world and stare down the most juiciest of steaks, ready to bully the unprepared palate into submission. But fear not, a well-exercised palate armed with a seasoned steak, some Kangaroo, Osso Bucco, ripe Venison or even some humble but hearty snags, will turn this untamed stallion into the most compliant and complimentary companion. All that remains for you to do is make sure that you share this with people worthy of the experience. You might need a decanter. Good company, after all, is the essential ingredient to enjoying any Big Red.

If you enjoy big REDS join us for our Big RED event in July. We have called it Big RED, 60 big RED, 1 afternoon. We have some iconic wineries showing their wines.